Dental cleanser in tablet form



United States Patent M 3,116,208 ENTAL CLEANER IN TABLET FORM Joseph 8. Eniond, Six, Farmington, Minn. No Drawing. Filed Nov. 21, 1%9, Ser. No. 70,449 4 Claims. (Cl. 167-93) This invention relates to dental cleansers. More particularly, it relates to a dental cleanser in a new and here tofore unknown form.

Dental cleansers have heretofore been known only in liquid, powder, or paste form and as such have many inherent disadvantages insofar as handling, storing, transportation, neatness, etc. are concerned. For example, the use of a dental cleanser in powder form is messy, to say the least, for it is difficult to apply to the brush or use otherwise without spilling a portion thereof with consequent need for a cleaning-up operation of the wash-bowl etc. subsequent to the brushing operation. Liquid dentifrices are diffieult to apply and inconvenient to store and transport, particularly in view of the danger of the contents of the container soiling clothes etc. in the event the container is broken or leaks. The most widely accepted dentifrice is in paste form but here again the tube container is unsightly when partly used, is bulky, is subject to leakage, etc. so that many users have been seeking a satisfactory substitute for many years. In addition, all such cleansers are relatively expensive and wasteful to use.

My invention is directed toward overcoming these inherent disadvantages and toward providing a new and highly improved dental cleanser.

it is a general object of my invention to provide a novel and improved dental cleanser which is simple and inexpensive to compose and use.

A more specific object is to provide a novel and improved dental cleanser of novel form and composition which will eliminate most of the disadvantages of present- 13 known dental cleansers.

A still more specific object is to provide a novel and improved dental cleanser which is comprised of simple and inexpensive ingredients, can be manufactured very simply and inexpensively, and is highly convenient and economical to use, store and transport.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved dental cleanser which will substantially reduce the inconvenience and messiness normally attendant with the use of some of the other dental cleansers presently on the market.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved dental cleanser which will substantially reduce the danger of soiling clothes etc. while stored within the traveling bag of a traveler.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved dental cleanser which will enable the user to at all times carry a days supply of cleanser with him in his pocket in a minimum of space and without danger of soiling his clothes.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved dental cleanser which can be used with a maximum of neatness and convenience.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the following description.

iy new dental cleanser is composed of a quantity of calcium carbonate thoroughly mixed with a suificient quantity of sodium lauryl sulphate to cause the two compounds to bind together when subjected to relatively high pressures and thereby be converted into a rigid tablet capable of being easily crushed by the teeth of the user when placed therebetween. l have found that a desirable proportion by weight involves the use of approximately 3d ldjdtl Patented Dec. 31, 1933 475 milligrams of calcium carbonate mixed with approximately 8.5 milligrams of sodium lauryl sulphate to provide a tablet of the desired size and firmness after the mixture has been submitted to approximately 1680 p.s.i. pressure. Thus, if calcium carbonate is mixed in proportions of approximately 55 parts by weight to one part of sodium lauryl sulphate, the resultant mixture will produce a highly satisfactory tablet upon being subjected to high pressures such as 1600 p.s.i. The resultant tablet will be found to be firm but easily crushable by human teeth. The sodium lauryl sulphate provides the foaming nature to the mixture upon brushing of the teeth with a tablet of this mixture distributed therealong in addition to providing the necessary binding eiiect to hold the mixture together in tablet form. The calcium carbonate provides the cleansing qualities primarily in that it has a slightly gritty or powdery nature or consistency which provides the desired scouring functions.

In use a tablet of the above mixture is merely crushed between the teeth of the user and then pushed outwardly to the outer surface of the teeth at which point the toothbrush may be applied in order to cooperatively clean the teeth upon proper movement of the toothbrush. Upon brushing of the teeth with a tablet of this mixture applied to the brush as hereinbefore described, the teeth will be quickly and easily cleaned and considerable foam will develop as the result of the brushing operation. It will be readily understood, of course, that any desired flavoring element may be added, such as peppermint, in accordance with the desires of the manufacturer but the primary and active ingredients are calcium carbonate and sodium lauryl sulphate in the approximate proportions set forth herein.

it will be readily appreciated that my tablets of dental cleanser eliminate many of the disadvantages of dental cleansers heretofore known. in view of the fact that the cleanser is in tablet form there is no messiuess attendant with selecting the desired amount of dental cleanser and placing the same within the users mouth. The tablet remains in tablet form until it is crushed by the teeth of the user immediately preparatory to the brushing operation. it will also be readily appreciated that there is no danger normally attendant with the liquid cleaners and that the unsightly partially used tube which contains most toothpaste has been eliminated. it will be noted that a small supply ample for one or two days may be very conveniently carried in a purse or pocket of the user while requiring a minimum of space. An added advantage, of course, is the fact that these tablets can be manufactured extremely inexpensively since the ingredients are very inexpensive and the method of manufacture is likewise inexpensive when the tablets are produced on a large scale.

One of the primary advantages, of course, is the ease and convenience with which my tablet dental cleanser may be stored, transported, and used without danger to soiling clot es, bathroom facilities etc.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention which consists of the matter described herein and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A dental cleanser consisting of a rigid tablet which is readily crushable with human teeth but capable of being handled, packaged, and shipped without crumbling and consists of only a mixture of about 475 milligrams of calcium carbonate mixed with about 8.5 milligrams of sodium lauryl sulphate, the mixture having been subjected to pressures of about 1600 p.s.i. to convert the same into said tablet.

2. A dental cleanser consisting of a rigid stable tablet 3 which is readily crushable with human teeth but capable of being handled, packaged, and shipped Without crumbllll." and consists of only a mixture of about 475 milligrams of calcium carbonate mixed with about 8.5 milligrams of sodium lauryl sulphate.

3. A dental cleanser consisting of a rigid stable tablet Which is readily crushable With human teeth but capable of being handled, packaged, and shipped Without crumbling and consists of only calcium carbonate and sodium lauryl sulfate in proportions by Weight of about fifty-five to one, respectively.

4. A method of manufacturing a dental cleanser consisting of mixing only about 475 milligrams of calcium carbonate with only about 8.5 milligrams of sodium lauryl sulphate, lacing said mixture only into a tablet-forming die, and applying pressure to said mixture within said die of about 1606 psi. to convert said mixture to a readily crushable tablet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 127,408 Faruham June 4, 1872 975,814 Westlake NOV. 15, 1910 2,945,725 Norris June 26, 1960 OTHER REFERENCES Little: Tabletmaking, 1949, Northern Publishing Co., Liverpool, England, pages 59, 60 and 61. 

1. A DENTAL CLEANSER CONSISTING OF A RIGID TABLET WHICH IS READILY CRUSHABLE WITH HUMAN TEETH BUT CAPABLE OF BEING HANDLED, PACKAGED, AND SHIPPED WITHOUT CRUMBLING AND CONSISTS OF ONLY A MIXTURE OF ABOUT 475 MILLIGRAMS OF CALCIUM CARBONATE MIXED WITH ABOUT 8.5 MILLIGRAMS OF SODIUM LAURYL SULPHATE, THE MIXTURE HAVING BEEN SUBJECTED TO PRESSURES OF ABOUT 1600 P.S.I. TO CONVERT THE SAME INTO SAID TABLET. 